CORNER Dearest Alumnae and Friends, Oh, how lucky I was to 2. While McAuley’s Vocal Ensemble earned the be a part of a most title of National Champion in 2009, they have exhilarating “Opening recently won the new title of Silver Medalist in Day” at McAuley High the World!! School. From sage teachers to anxious 3. New beginnings also finds us with a new freshmen, the butterflies “Activity Period,” and school now starts at 8:10 and jitters were present as we entered the school. a.m. with the first class of the day. The 20- Seconds later, hugs, high-fives and laughter filled minute activity time increases opportunities for the sparkling halls. The energy and excitement are class meetings, family activities, club events, difficult to surpass. True to our mission, this all and extension of assemblies. Flexibility in the girls’ Catholic high school began with the Mass of school’s schedule allows an enhancement in the Assumption. Campus Minister, Pat Klus, had as spiritual, student, and leadership development. his theme for the call to worship “New School dismisses at 2:40 p.m. each Monday to Opportunities/Beginnings.” His captivated audience give increased time for greater collaboration smiled as he related his mom’s annual speech among faculty. “The Brilliance of Balance” is starting a new school year, as their parents had that better achieved with our new activity time. morning. Imagine the surprise and joy when he welcomed his mom, Mrs. Nancy Klus, to the stage 4. Thirty-five student ambassadors developed to share her own “New Opportunities/Beginnings” their leadership skills on August 6th at Camp speech. It set the tone for a beautiful Eucharistic Kern. We continue to send our students to celebration that ended with students’ arms around leadership workshops throughout the school each other as they proudly sang McAuley’s alma year. As esteemed alumnae, who are leaders in mater. We left the Mass with a call to go forward our world, you know how important it is to and make this our best year yet. nurture compassionate leaders following in the footsteps of our foundress Catherine McAuley. Continuously improving the quality of our educational programs at McAuley is essential for us Let us enthusiastically adopt our new beginnings to be a leader in the Cincinnati community and to while continuing to embrace the values and charism CHERYL'S CHERYL'S continue to be a school of excellence. We initiate of Catherine McAuley and our beloved Sisters of this school year with some new beginnings as well: Mercy. None of this is possible without God’s blessing, your prayers, and the community who 1. “Stewarding the Mission – Sisters of Mercy gives us their time, talent and treasures. You are all Education in Cincinnati” is a collaborative plan our shining stars for enabling young women’s among the Sisters of Mercy – South Central dreams to come true. Community, school board members, and administrators from Mother of Mercy High With love & gratitude, School and McAuley High School to have both schools thrive. The very deliberate and studied approach will assist both schools to achieve Cheryl A. Sucher their highest level of vitality with the desire to President enhance awareness of Mercy charism and tradition. We are thrilled to be working on a plan that will make Sisters of Mercy education the number one choice in Cincinnati! 2 mcauleyhs.net Cover Stories 4 A Different Kind of Summer: Service and Immersion Trips by Cassie Brakers ‘11 McAuley TIES is published three My Experience at times a year by the Advancement Give Kids the World Office of McAuley High School. by Jennifer Rosenacker ‘11 Cheryl Sucher, President Brigitte Foley, Director of Advancement and Features Alumnae Relations Kathy Dietrich, Campus Cameo: Public Relations 7 Mrs. Pat Basler Marie Knecht, Director of Admissions and Marketing Open House Lisa Starkey, Executive Assistant 11 Libby Hodapp, Auction Coordinator Alumnae Sister Mary Perpetua, R.S.M., 13 Father/Daughter Writing Consultant Comments and submissions Dance Photos for the McAuley TIES, c/o The Advancement Office, McAuley High School 6000 Oakwood Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45224 Departments www.mcauleyhs.net (513) 681-1800 Cheryl’s Corner 2 (513) 681-1802 (fax) Please notify the Advancement Office about any change of name or address McAuley Today 8 at (513) 681-1800 x 1148. Cover Photo: Future Mohawks 10 Stained Glass Window in “Christ the Teacher” Chapel All About Advancement 12 Alumnae Activities 14 McAuley Milestones 16 Calendar 19 Fall 2012 3 4 mcauleyhs.net A Different Kind of Summer: Service and Immersion Trips by Cassie Brakers ‘11 Summer: a time for students to hang out with friends, soak up the sun, work a summer job, and relax as much as possible. It is a time to unwind from the recent school year and have fun. However, some McAuley High School students experience a different definition of fun and a very different kind of summer. For a couple weeks each summer, mission teams from McAuley are sent on service and immersion trips. Since 2003, McAuley students have been to Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montana, Appalachia, Over the Rhine, and Kissimmee, Florida, providing a variety of services to local communities. The effect of these trips is unique to each individual, but all who participate are transformed for the better through the people they help and the relationships they develop with one another. Service and immersion trips encourage students to get outside of their comfort zones and into the often harsh realities of communities around the world. Too many high school and college students fail to immerse themselves even in their local communities, while they are safely tucked away in classrooms. Although there are many students that study abroad in other countries, they often stay together with their fellow Americans in their “comfort bubbles.” McAuley helps its young women get involved in local Cincinnati communities through Key Club which sponsors many service opportunities. The summer service and immersion trips that McAuley offers have the goal of social justice enlightenment and action, giving students a chance to serve in communities around the country and beyond. McAuley’s Service and Immersion Program began in 2002-03 when seniors from both McAuley and LaSalle strived to bring immersion trips to their schools. They wanted to give McAuley and LaSalle students the chance to be a part of a mission helping others in impoverished areas of the world. Because of their hard work, many meetings, and dedication, students were able to have a joint McAuley/LaSalle immersion trip to Honduras in June 2003 with 15 students from each school. Gina Keith ‘93, Service Coordinator, says that most of the service ideas at McAuley come from the students. The service is very “student led” and Gina is there to help their ideas become reality. When asked about the purpose of immersion trips, Gina says that these trips help jumpstart a life of service. As we hear over and over again from participants, service and immersions “positively impact the students even more than the people they helped.” One of these life-changing trips is Give Kids the World (GKTW) in Florida. The village was founded by Henri Landwirth, a holocaust survivor. He wanted to start a place for children where they did not have to lose their childhood to illness, like he lost his childhood to the Holocaust. Children with life-threatening diseases come to GKTW village with their families for a free vacation. Patty Thomas ‘77, library aide and study hall proctor, traveled with McAuley students to GKTW in 2011. Patty says that the best part of the trip was seeing how the girls from McAuley interacted with the children. The happiness that both the students and children experienced “cannot be put into words.” Doing service in another area of the country is different because it’s not something you see every day and you are thrown into a new culture. At GKTW, children come from all over the world, so this is a service experience unlike any other. Patty says “GKTW is truly a joyful place where kids are not simply patients getting poked with needles by doctors. They are just kids having fun.” Fall 2012 5 Another McAuley staff member, Connie Helmers, has been to Give Kids the World three times. When asked what she did on her most recent trip, Connie exclaimed, “We did everything!” My Experience at Connie and the students ran most of the facilities from working in the Gingerbread House, which is where the children and their families came to get their meals every day, to cleaning up after fun events and activities. Connie says “I wanted to go on the trip because I needed something else in Give Kids my life. I needed to give back to others.” by Jennifer Rosenacker ‘11 Current student Lauren Odioso ‘14 was chosen for this summer’s trip to Give Kids the World. Reflecting on her “No one can do everything, experience, she says, “While most teens were snoozing away the beginning of their summer, McAuley High School’s service Give Kids the World is a very and immersion team was making a difference down in special place where I was given Orlando, Florida. Ten McAuley girls and two team leaders an opportunity to do volunteered at Give Kids the World. We helped with a variety something. Rather than of activities and chores, such as serving food, helping children preparing for an ordinary senior making their stars in the castle, helping with meet and greets trip after graduating in 2011, I with Mickey, Minnie, and Santa Claus, and truly making their was packing for a life-changing dreams come true.” experience.